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Duane Wilson

Executive Director’s Corner

June 26, 2019 by Duane Wilson Leave a Comment

Duane Wilson Executive DirectorSpring represents renewal, growth and – for many sports fans – the path of becoming a champion. We, at San Francisco Achievers, embody this symbolism.

If I were to poll ten people and ask their definition of success, I would likely receive just as many opinions. An athlete competes to make it to the finals; an entrepreneur celebrates every business opportunity; and students want to pass each grade. Many of our Achievers continue to make us proud as they have been resilient in balancing their academic and personal lives on their path to success.

Hundreds of quotes delving into success have circulated over the years. The intent of those quotes – to elevate those who are sure of their direction or to motivate others to take that first step.

Here’s a new one for you: Success = 1 focused mind + 1 strong spirit x 1 giving heart – all doubt

This quote sums up the heart of Achievers. We welcome you to spring into action and grow with us today!

Filed Under: Articles, Executive Director's Corner, News

A Windy Meet & Greet in St. Mary’s Square!

November 3, 2015 by Duane Wilson Leave a Comment

On Wednesday, July 15th at 6:00pm, a group of twenty-three strangers met in St. Mary’s Square. They looked around—some with contagious excitement, others with subdued curiosity—seemingly wondering, Is that him? or I wonder if that’s her? For almost everyone involved, this was the first in-person meeting for newly matched SF Achievers’ scholars and mentors.

 photo 60f5b0a1-79b1-4761-b180-963010fb0336.jpgDeveloping a relationship with a complete stranger can be scary, but with warm smiles, handshakes, icebreakers, and of course…snacks, our group began to forget their worries. By the end of the hour, the pairs had engaged in a round of “Two-Truths and a Lie” and taken strolls around the park playing, “If You Really Knew Me…” (Executive Director, Gregory Collins’ favorite game).

Teams engaged in small tête-à-têtes that covered everything from favorite colors, family histories, to greatest hurdles they have overcome. At the close of the Meet & Greet, many teams were yearning for more time to get to know their new partner. Those wishes were granted as duos dispersed into the city following Program Director, Catherine Bradshaw’s encouragement to: “grab a bite to eat and continue getting to know one another!”

The level of engagement and willingness of complete strangers to sit down and have honest conversations with one another reminded us all that relationships can begin anywhere. It just takes one moment of honesty between two people to transform complete strangers into teammates.

Filed Under: Articles, News

Meet Paula Morgan

November 3, 2015 by Duane Wilson Leave a Comment

“If you already have a full time career, do you really wish to accept a second one simultaneously? Oh, by the way, it is a volunteer position.” This is thePaula Pro Shot implied question Paula Morgan answered with an enthusiastic “Yes!” a year ago when she became Board President of San Francisco Achievers. As someone who has already served on multiple boards and is a seasoned healthcare executive, one must ask Paula, “Why?” “I believe in the mission,” she answers as she recites the SFA mission of reducing the achievement gap by providing support,mentors, and scholarship funds.

Originally trained as a nurse, Paula applies her compassionate nature, administrative expertise, professional recruiting talent and entrepreneurial skills to effectively lead SFA. It was Dr. Henry Safrit, Founder of Meritus College Fund who recruited the recruiter because she had already provided valuable leadership during her time as a Meritus board member. As an instrument rated pilot, it is fitting that Paula drive SFA, established in 2008 as a pilot project of Meritus. She has watched as SFA tailored the Meritus structure to create a supportive path for young African-American men to succeed in college.

As the Founder and Principal of Morgan Consulting Resources, a healthcare recruiting firm with a presence in six states, Paula knows intimately the crucial role a college education has on one’s ability to pursue a successful career. Building upon her initial career in nursing, Paula also mastered courses at Harvard and Wharton. Not only is she committed to Dr. Henry Safrit’s goal of being able to offer a scholarship to every African-American male in SF high schools who qualifies for the program; she knows what it takes. Prior to taking over as President, she lead the recruitment effort for SFA’s first staff member, hiring Catherine Bradshaw as the Program Director. A year later, Paula again lead a recruitment effort that lead to the hiring of Gregory Collins, the first Executive Director.

Currently, SFA provides a $12,000 college scholarship to each Achiever in the program and will award 34 scholarships in May 2015. Paula’s first priority is fundraising, with the goal to ensure SFA will be able to keep pace with college pricing and the volume of demand by candidate students.

Paula explains the Mentor Program as our “secret sauce” and is currently recruiting to add a third staff member; the Mentor Program Coordinator. The mentors clearly make the difference between a “just a scholarship” and a supportive family. Another priority Paula emphasizes is a better connection with the school district’s counselors and teachers to facilitate SFA connection with potential scholars. Getting the boys excited and introduced to a broad world of possibilities is critical to expanding their life experience. When asked what she likes to do best, Paula answered “succession planning.” We wish her luck because when the time comes, Paula will indeed be a tough act to follow
at SFA.

Filed Under: Articles, News

Mentor Mixer: A Risky Venture?

November 3, 2015 by Duane Wilson Leave a Comment

Volunteer mentors are at the heart of a successful San Francisco Achievers experience. But, who mentors the mentors? Who supports, trains and helps them help their students? The Mentor Committee, led by mentoring guru Linda Mornell, applied its practical experience and concluded, “Use the best resource there is…other mentors!” By pooling the knowledge and insight of people currently mentoring students, SFA created an effective reference tool from which volunteers can learn.

So, on February 27, 2015 SFA brought its idea to life with a Mentor Mixer, hosted by Board Treasurer Gregory Weitzman. The first of multiple forums for idea exchange, the purpose of the initial session was to get everyone acquainted and comfortable with one another. At first IMG_20150423_140811glance an observer may not see individuals with much in common. Executive Director Gregory Collins strongly believes “it takes a village,” and indeed a broad representation of the village showed up! Of the more than 25 people present, there were a wide variety of ages, backgrounds, ethnicities and skill sets. A show of hands revealed that although the majority currently lived in the East Bay and on the peninsula, most were not native to California. Hailing from the Northeast, East Coast, Midwest, Florida, Southwest and places in-between the enthusiastic group of men and women coalesced around a strong desire to help others and a realization that SFA offers a successful approach to help young African American men.

With the broad talents and professions represented among the participants, higher IMG_20150423_141201education is clearly a passion and unifying factor. The attendees’ college experiences varied; big, small, distant, local, public, private, etc. Some had been expected to attend college as generations of their family members had done before them. Others were the first in their family to graduate. It was undeniable everyone at the table believed a college education was critical to a person’s life journey… and they were willing to commit their time to help an Achievers Scholar get that experience. Hosting or attending a Mentor Mixer may not seem risky, and it’s probably not. Sharing ideas among people who value education is indeed rather safe. What makes these mentors admirable risk takers is their willingness to offer their time and talent to an Achiever. They commit to him for several year through the good times and tough times continually advancing toward the breakthrough of accomplishment. Why? Because our young men are definitely worth the risk!

Filed Under: Articles, News

Achiever Spotlight: Stevan Berhe

November 3, 2015 by Duane Wilson Leave a Comment

Wallenberg high school student Stevan Berhe came to the United States at the age of three from Eritrea with his mother and two brothers. He is bilingual, speaking both English and the Eritrean language Tigrinya. He is an altar server at the Russian Orthodox Church on Geary in the Richmond District.

He first went to Rosa Parks Elementary School. In second grade, he transferred to St. Charles School (and remembers being concerned that it might 0120151704be a financial strain on the family). As he was growing up, he had the benefit of two older brothers paving the way. He followed in their footsteps in his choice of sports – first soccer, and ultimately basketball.

15632862486_cec2361fd2_oHe decided not to attend Lowell High School like his middle brother Evan (who is now a senior there). Instead, he chose Raul Wallenberg Traditional High School, which older brother Simon attended after first going to Sacred Heart. And, like Simon, Stevan joined the SF Achievers program.1926024_699213036852259_8049065023082995521_o

Simon is now a freshman at San Francisco State and gets college funding from several sources, including SF Achievers. When asked why he was willing to be interviewed, Stevan said that he likes the SF Achievers program and wants to do what he can to support it. The students who participate become good friends. Stevan feels like he can talk to them about anything. He also finds that the activities give him a good long-term perspective when thinking about college and what he will do with his education. Stevan decided to participate in SF Achievers because he heard good things about it from his brother. Stevan is a sort of “next generation” Achiever. As the Achiever program grows, so too will those who hear good things about it and decide to give it a try.

Filed Under: Achievers, News

Daniel Ogbonna’s First Steps Toward College

November 3, 2015 by Duane Wilson Leave a Comment

By Lynn Jacobs

For African American males like Daniel Ogbonna, acceptance to college represents the first step toward an eminent future. Daniel is a senior at Wallenberg High School in San Francisco and has already received acceptance letters from two Bay area schools. He is awaiting a response from his top choice, Duke University, to which he applied on the recommendation of SF Achievers founder and Duke alumnus, Dr. Henry Safrit. Over the past four years, Dr. Safrit has followed Daniel’s progress, watching him grow from an immature youth into a young man regarded as a dedicated student, respected leader and positive role model.  In fact, Dr. Safrit believes that Daniel is the single strongest candidate to come through the Achievers program in its six-year history, and the first that he has recommended to Duke.

 photo 0123151124.jpgDaniel is the youngest of six children. His parents, Nigerian immigrants, hold low-paying jobs, but have instilled in Daniel and his siblings a desire to improve their lot in life through education, engagement and perseverance. Daniel maintains a rigorous academic schedule, participates in the Debate Club, competes on the basketball team, and plays piano in the school band. One of his Debate Club topics sparked his interest in sociology and criminal justice, subjects he’s now planning to pursue in college. “I want to understand why criminals do the things they do, why they do bad things,” he says. When asked about his careers aspirations, Daniel says, “I’d like to be involved in law enforcement – maybe even the FBI.”

 photo DSC_3152.jpg

It’s impossible to measure the full impact of SF Achievers on Daniel’s growth and development, but he readily acknowledges the wide range of opportunities and guidance the program’s afforded him. “They’ve helped me with summer jobs, financial aid and scholarship applications, calendar set-up and time management,” he says. Whether he remains in California for college, or heads off to Duke, Daniel will go with a firm foundation and the support of his family and friends at SF Achievers.

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Filed Under: Achievers, News

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